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John Veitch
John Veitch (October 24, 1829 - September 3, 1894) was a Scottish poet, academic, and anthologist. Life Overview Veitch, born at Peebles and educated at University and New College, Edinburgh, was assistant to Sir Wm. Hamilton, 1856-60, professor of Logic at St. Andrews, 1860-64, and Glasgow, 1864-94. He was a voluminous and accomplished writer, his works including Lives of Dugald Stewart (1857) and Sir W. Hamilton (1869), Tweed, and other poems (1875), History and Poetry of the Scottish Border (1877), Feeling for Nature in Scottish Poetry page 392 (1887), Merlin, and other poems (1889), Border Essays (1896), and Dualism and Monism (1895).John William Cousin, "Veitch, John," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1910, 391-392. Wikisource, Web, Mar. 15, 2018. Youth and education Veitch was born at Peebles, Tweeddale, the son of Sergeant James Veitch, a Peninsular veteran, by his wife, Nancy (Ritchie). Both parents, particularly the mother, displayed the high ideals of the value of education characteristic of some of the Scottish peasantry. Until 16 years of age Veitch was educated successively at Mr. Smith's "adventure" school and at the high school of Peebles. In 1843 Veitch, with his parents, joined the free church of Scotland.Wenley, 199. In 1845 he proceeded to the University of Edinburgh, where he at once gained a bursary or entrance scholarship. After 1 session's attendance there, he entered the New College, just instituted for the benefit of free-church students. Here he met professor A. Campbell Fraser, who became his lifelong friend. The year 1848 found him back at the University, hearing the brilliant lectures of Aytoun, of "Christopher North" and conspicuously of Sir William Hamilton, by whom Veitch was profoundly influenced. Career Originally destined for the ministry of the free church, he turned his attention to theology in 1850, but was repelled by the dogmatic tendencies of the day. Until 1856 he supported himself by private tuition. In 1856 he was appointed assistant to Sir William Hamilton in the chair of logic and metaphysics in the University. Sir William's death took place in the same year, and was followed by the transference of Campbell Fraser from the professorship of philosophy in New College. Veitch continued in his position as assistant to Prof, Fraser until 1860. During the same period he aided his chief in the editorial work of the North British Review. In May 1860 Veitch was elected to the chair of logic, rhetoric, and metaphysics in the University of St. Andrews. His duties required him to teach English literature as well as philosophy, and he began those studies in the literature and antiquities of the Scottish border by which he will be best remembered. At this period his friends included James David Forbes, James Frederick Ferrier, John Tulloch, William Young Sellar, and John Campbell Shairp. In June 1862 he married Eliza Hill, the only daughter of George Wilson of Dalmarnock and Auchineden. The couple had no children. In the summer of 1864 he was elected to the professorship of logic and rhetoric in Glasgow University, which he occupied until his death. He spent 6 months of the year in Glasgow, and the remainder at Peebles, where he built a residence, and enjoyed unique opportunities of studying the scenery, history, literature, and lore of his native borderland. He took an active part in the leading border associations, in the politics of the county of Peebles, and in various benevolent institutions. As a thinker Veitch was at odds with the chief movements of his day, and by adopting an extreme, and often contemptuous, attitude of criticism, he baulked himself of formative influence with the thousands of students who came under his care. Those of them who knew him intimately were affected by his personal character, not by his prelections. He edited, in conjunction with Henry Longueville Mansel, Sir William Hamilton's Lectures on logic and metaphysics (4 vols. 1859–60); and translated, with an introduction, appendix, and notes, Descartes's Method, Meditations, and selections from his Principles of Philosophy, 1879. He died at Peebles on 3 September 1894. Writing Inborn inclination, extraordinary opportunity, and rare power of observation combined in the production of his work on The History and Poetry of the Scottish Border (1893, 2 vols.). The same qualities reveal themselves in the fine volumes on The Feeling for Nature in Scottish Poetry (1887, 2 vols.), as well as in his 3 small books of verse, The Tweed, and other poems (1875), Hillside Rhymes (1872), and Merlin, and other poems (1889). The poems are less successful than the prose works. Occasionally they reach a high level, but always within a limited range. Besides those already mentioned, Veitch's principal works were: ‘Memoir of Dugald Stewart,’ 1857. ‘Memoir of Sir William Hamilton,’ 1869. ‘Hamilton’ (Blackwood's Philosophical Classics Series), 1879. ‘Institutes of Logic,’ 1885. ‘Knowing and Being,’ 1889. ‘Dualism and Monism,’ 1895. ‘Border Essays,’ 1896. Recognition In 1872 he received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Edinburgh University. His pupils and friends have erected monuments to his memory within the main building of the university of Glasgow, in the town of Peebles, and on the top of Cademuir, one of his favourite hills. Publications Poetry *''Hillside Rhymes. Glasgow: J. Maclehose, 1872.Hillside Rhymes, Internet Archive. Web, Mar. 7, 2017. *The Tweed, and other poems]. Glasgow: J.Maclehose / London: Macmillan, 1875. *Merlin, and other poems. Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1889. Non-fiction *"Memoir of Dugald Stewart", in Dugald Stewart, ''Collected Works. Edinburgh, 1857. *''Memoir of Sir William Hamilton. Edinburgh: W. Blackwood, 1869. *Lucretius and the Atomic Theory. Glasgow: . Maclehose, 1875. *The History and Poetry of the Scottish Border. (1 volume), Glasgow: J.Maclehose, 1878;The History and Poetry of the Scottish Border, Internet Archive. Web, Mar. 7, 2017. **revised & expanded, (2 volumes), Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1893. *''Hamilton. Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood & Sons (Blackwood's Philosophical Classics), 1882; Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1882. *''Sir William Hamilton: The man and his philosophy; two lectures. Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood, 1883. *''Speculative Philosophy: An introductory lecture. Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood, 1884. *''Institutes of Logic''. 1885. *''The Feeling for Nature in Scottish Poetry''. (2 volumes), Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood, 1887. Volume I *''Knowing and Being. Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1889. *Dualism and Monism, and other essays. Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1895. *''The Tweeddale Shooting Club: A centenary memorial. 1790-1890. Edinburgh: 1890. *''Border Essays. Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1896. *''Essays in Philosophy. Bristol, UK: Thoemmes, 1991. Translated *Rene Descartes, The Meditations; and selections from the Principles of Philosophy, of Descartes. Edinburgh: Sutherland & Knox / London: Simpkin, Marshall, 1853. *Rene Descartes, A Discourse on Method. London & Toronto: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1912. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:John Veitch, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Mar. 7, 2017. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Mar. 7, 2017. Notes External links ;Poems *"The Laird of Schelynlaw" in A Victorian Anthology, 1837-1895 ;Books * ;Audio / video * ;About *John Veitch at The Glasgow Story *John Veitch at the University of Glasgow Story * Veitch, John Category:1829 births Category:1894 deaths Category:Scottish philosophers Category:Scottish poets Category:People from Peebles Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:Victorian poets